Centrifugal concentrator and glassifier.



F. LAIST. GENTRIFUGAL GONGENTRATOR AND GLASSIFIBR.

APPLIOATION mum 1520. 4, 190a.

| llllllllllll 14 I; 1 v I I IIIHf n.

INVENTOR. Dede/Zak La/sf. By M WITNESSES A TTORNE Y.

P. LAIST.

GENTRIFUGAL GONGENTRATOB AND GLASSIFIER.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 4, 1908.

' Patented Sept. 28, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

UNIT D strAtrEs PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERIGK LAIST, or nucorma, uoN'raNA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF TO oscAR MAXKUOHS, or ANACONDA, MQNTANA.

GENTBIFUGAIQ GONGENTRATQR AND GLA SIFIEB.

pecification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 28, 1909.

Application filed December 4, 1908. Serial No. 465,959.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, F nnnERrcK LAIST, citizen of the United S ates,residing at Ana-v conda, in the county of Deerlodge and State ofMontana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCentrifugal Concen? trators and Classifiers, of which the follow? ing isa full, clear, and exact description,. to the accompanying,

reference being had drawings, forming a part hereofr My invention hasrelation to improvements in centrifugal ore-concentrators and chassisfiers; and it consists in the novel construe? tion and arrangement ofparts more fully set forth inthe specification and pointed out in theclaims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a combined vertical middle section andelevation of one form of my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged verticalsectional detail showing manner of constructing the outer wall of thec0ncentrat.-'

ing chamber; Fig. 3 is a top plan v.of the 3p.- paratuswith partsbroken-away, one of the concentrating chambers being shown in transversesection; Fig. dis a top plan of a section of a modified form ofapparatus; and

Fig. 5 is a top plan of a section of another modification. I

The object of the present invention is to construct an apparatus forsubjectin .fine (are or slime to the action of centrifugal force for thepurposes of concentration and classi.- fication. Centrifugal force ishereby sub.- stituted for gravity when used inconjunetion with risingwater currents (a process generally availed of in ore classifiers), the

advantages of centrifugal action being (1) I that by virtue thereof thesettling rate of the particles is considerably increased, making itpossible to work very much finer ma.- terial than can be treated in agravity ma.- chine; (2) the centrifugal force itself assists verymaterially in the concentration and classification; (3) it permits theaccurate proportioning to the centrifugal force of the counter oropposing currents of water by which not only the discharge of theconcentrates from the vessel in which the pulp is, treated isfacilitated, but which exercisean influence in effecting the necessaryseparation of the concentrates from the tailings;

(4) it permits an accurate distributionand apportionment of the cewlteror opposing currents to the intensity of the centrifugal force developedin the vessel in which the pulp is undergoing treatment; and finall y itpresents further and other advantages hotter apparent from a detaileddescription of the invention which is as follows:

Referring to the drawings, and for the present to Figs. 1 to ,3inclusive, 1, represents a vertical hollow shaft provided with an uppercylindrical bearing 2 and a bottom journal 3, the shaft having securedthereto a collar 4 resting on the journal, above which collar there .issecured to the shaft a beltpulley 5 to which rotation may be imparted-;t';com' any suitable source of power .(not shown). The rotatable shaft1 projects a suitable distance below the timber T to which the journal 3is bolted, a suitable stuifing box 6 serving to bring together theadjacentends .of the shaft and of the stationary feed pipe 7, the latterleading to any source of hydraulic water supply (not shown). Adjacent tothe stuffing-box 6 there is mounted in the feed-pipe 7 a rotatable cockor valve 8 having a passage-way a, said valve or cook being of wellknown and ordinary construction. To the stem of the valve is secured abelt pulley 9 to which rotation may. be imparted from any availablesource of power (not shown). As the valve rotates: the water whichenters the pipe 7 under a head will flow intermittently into thehollow-shaft, being that with every rotation of the valve thepassage-way a will have been turned so as to temporarily out off theflow of the water to the shaft, the result being a pulsating orintermittentflow into the shaft. Mounted above the shaft and disposedsymmetrically about the guidehearing 2 is a tank or pulp distributer 10intQ Which discharge one or more pipes 11. 11, conveying pulp thereintofrom the usual Sources of supply (not shown). This pulp is eonductedfrom the distributor through a series of radially disposed pipes 12, 12,each pipe discharging into a suitable concentrating chamber or container13 through the top of the rear vertical wall thereof as shown, Thesechambers are coupled to the central shaft 1 by means of supportingcastings 14, 1.4, emlopaci the chambers near the .top and bottom ansecured to the outer or front inclined walls thereof by means ofangle-pieces 15. The castings have respectively formed thereinsuitableopenings conforming t0 h ross section .of the chamber I at the planewhere the casting envelops the chamber, at which point the parts areriveted together as shown.

pass around the sides of their corresponding concentrating chambers 13,and terminating in an elbow 17 which taps the front or inclined wall ofthe chamber at a point somewhat below the middle of the chamber.

From the bottom of the rear wall of each concentrating chamber leads areturn pipe 13 (for the 'tailings) the inner ends of the pipesdischarging into the upper'head of a hollow stufling-box 19, from thebottom head of which lead aseries of tailings-discharge pipes 20conducting the tailings t and water to any convenient point of disosition (not shown). At the outer end 0 the bottom wall of the chamber13 is a slide or valve21 for the discharge of the concentrates c (orsandy component of the slime) the discharge opening being protected by aplate or guard 22 which in the rotation of the chambers about the axisof the shaft 1 traverses the intake mouth of an annular launder 23(shown dotted in Fig, 1) placed in proper position to receive theconcentrates which arebeing constantly and automatically discharged fromthe series of chambers when the slides 21 are open; The launder is wellknown and a bare reference thereto is suflicient. i The construction ofthe concentrating chamber or container 13 is substantially as shown inthe'drawings and while I do not ,wish to limit myself to the form shownit is one which will probablyprevail in practice meeting as'it does, thema ority of conditions imposed-on an apparatus of this character. Spaceda suitable distance m from the outer inclined wall of the chamber is aperforated partition 24, the perforations being closer together. at thebottom than at the top. Againstthe-partition is placed a screen 25 andabout a half inch removed therefrom is a second screen 26, the spacebetween the screens being filled with sand or small shot 8. This fillingforms a distributer or equalizer for the jets projected through theperforafrom the space m into which the water pipe 17, said theinditions, is initially discharged by the filling breaking up anddiffusing vidual force of the jets and producing a 11111- form andevenly distributed current which ugal thus enters the chamber inopposition or counter to, the centrifugal force exerted against theouter wall thereof. Of course, centrifforce affects more strongly theparticles of a body farthest removed from 'the axis of rotation.andsince the outer wall of the chamber 13 is inclined inwardly andupwardly, the force at the bottom will be stronger than at the top, andto offset this excess the perforations inthe partition 24 are closertogether, thereby discharging a greater quantity of water. The purposeof the opposed current produced by the passage of the water through theperforated wall 24 and the diffusing layer s is identical with, and is asubstitute for, the rising current availed of in gravity classifiers,centrifugal force in the present instance being substituted for gravityfor reasons previously set forth. This counter or opposed current may becontinuous or intermittent (pulsating), and when intermittent, theapparatus becomes virtually a 'pulsion jig. The current is steady orcontinuous for a permanently open position of the valve 8, and pulsatingfor a continuous rotation of said valve, and. the choice of currentwould depend on practical considerations, depending an the com--position of the pulp treated, and, in the treatment of slimes, dependingon the tenacity with which the flocculent component of the slime clingsto the sandy constituent thereof. The outer wall of the concentratingchamber 13 is given the slope as shown so as to assist the movement ofthe sand or concentrates down it toward the discharge opening.Theoretically it might be possib e to slope this wall to such an extentthat no opposed water current would be required to secure a continuousdischarge of sand or concentrates (it being remembered that this currentassists in the washing down of the concentrates crowded against thiswall). In' practice such theoretical slope of the outer wall wouldprobably not work out well. a An 1 examination of the cross section ofthe c'hamber 13 shows that the front inclined wall is somewhat narrowerthan the rear vertical wall, the chamber thus tapering or convergingoutwardly. This is done in order to proportion the opposed or counterwater currents to the centrifugal force at all points throu hunt thechamber. -With the widening 0% the cross section from front to rear thecounter current necessarily dissipates, but in the same proportion doesthe centrif- 11 al force decrease, that is, it becomes less e ective asthe axis of rotation (shaft 1) is approached.- By thus making thecounter current proportionately commensurate with the centrifugal forceat all points, an ore of given behavior and composition may besuccessfully treated. But special conditions may arise which wouldnecessitate a change in the relation of the counter current andcentrifugal force, and it might become necessary for some purposes tohave a greater counter current along the outer inclined wall than at therear wall, or vice versa, in which event the cross section of thechamber would be modified to brin about such results.

The operation 0 the concentrator is obvious from the drawings, but maybe restead of 'posing forces,

imparted e ha e birsli tl a outer wall by the centrifugal force (arrows'Fig, .1). At the same time the pulp runs from the pulp distributer 10'into theseveral chambers 13, where subjected to two opone hand, and

the ier'ceof the opposed or counter water current'on the (libel hand,the two forces jointly separating the constituents of the ore, theciiarse component or concentrates c settling, against the outerinclined'wall downwhich the run to the discharge opehing, cbntrolled thevalve 21, discharg ng continuoiisly behind the guard 22 into the launder23, and the fine materials or tailing t (flocculent component in thecase-of slimes) running backthrough the return pipesl fi into thehollow, stufling box n t through t e p p sze h the action of themachineiscontiniious and the operation maybe carried on for anindefinite period. Thettaature of the separate chamberslfiinountedaround a central shaft is important since v with the use of suchseparate cha' hers the pulp, is in a more quiet condition than when thecylinder or bell iorniffof machine is used.

The for washing and dewatering goldslimes (that slime from cyanidplants)." Infiltering slime the inaterialmay d i my i Q ne, forcethrowing the fine materialagainst the outer walls of theseveralchambers'13, the clear water runningout of the tailings discharge, while the thick pulp will run out through the concentratedischarge opening.

In thls casev the water introduced through thewa-l-ls acts as washwater, removing the cyanid and go'ld solutions from the slime, the thickpulp being removed from the concentra-ting chambers in as thickcondition as possible. A I v v 7 It is apparent that my machine may bechanged inminor details without changing itsprincipleor mode ofoperation, and in E igs. 4 and 5 I show modified forms that wil theseries concentrating chambers 13 con nected by interoommunicating pipesections 27. Again in lieu of having an individual 17 forcmiducting the,clear water into chamber, I

each 17" whichdischarges into a'single pipe 28 encircling the entireseries of chambers, the latter receiving the water through branches 29leading from the encircling pipe 28 0piaayaiiss Restribeing viz.centrifugal force on the above machine is eminently adapted thecentrifugal.

said outer wall.

answer. in practice. In Fig. 4 I show *may substitute a sing P 'Ppositeeach chamber. Again, in lieu of a series of chambers, I maysubstitute a single annular '(or cylindrical) chamber (Fig. 5 likewiseencircled bya feed pipe 28 haying branches 29 tapping the outer inclinedwall of such single chamber at oints along the peripherythereof, suchplp'e 28 receiving its supply from a pipe l7 passed under thechamber andthen bent up to meet such encircling pipe. Other modifications willsuggest themselves to the skilled mechanicas must obvious from thespecific forms here presented. v

lllh en treating slimes, the term classitier? technically would perhapsnot be strictly appropriate, since classification has for its object toseparate grains of gangue and mineral into two or more productsaccording to their relative size and specific gravities, the individualparticles of which will have as nearly as possible the same settlingrate under free settling conditions, and all of which productscanbe'concentrated by prevailing methods such as by jigs, tables, andvanners. In the case vof slimes, these will splitup under centrifugalaction into a sandy component susceptible of concentration in the usualway, anda flocculent component which is light and can not be treated byOrdinary methods.v So that so far as. the sandy component only isconcerned the term classifier as used in designating the presentinvention would be applicable; and as it is aconcentrator as well, theinvention may be termed as aconcentrator and classifier. The rapidity ofrotation may ofcoursebe regulated according to the size of materialtreated andthus has a decided advantage over gravity classifiers whichcan only avail themselves of gravity as a constant force that can not bevaried while centrifugal force may be varied at pleasure. p a VReverting momentarily again to the matter of proportioning the currentsprojected through the outer inclined wall of the chamber 13, to thecentrifugal force developed within said chamber, it may be stated thatthese currents have their maximum velocity at this wall not only becauseat this wall the centrifugal force is greatest, but a higher velocity ishere necessary to prevent the sand or concentrates packing against 4 Theopposing currents decrease in velocity wall of the chamber since thecentrifugal force likewise decreases but, as 7 before stated, the crosssecticn of the chamber may as they approach the rear.

be varied so as to secure almost any relation between the centrifugalforceand the opposing or counter currents flowing from the outer wall.The chamber formed between the screens 25, 26', for holding the sand orshot s is not absolutely necessary, and may be dispensed with in caseswhere the perfo- -acter as not to give rise of the container taperingcontainer,

2d: are of a charto too forcible or penetrating individual jets. Thepulsations in the water current need not necessarily be effected througha valve or cook such as 8, but may be brought about by any means knownin the art.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a centrifugalconcentrator, a suitable container, means for rotating the same rationsin the partition about an axis located exterior thereto, means fordiffusing water currents over the outer wall of the container andprojecting such currents toward said axis, the cross-section outwardlyor away from said axis in order to proportion the force of said currentsthroughout the container to the opposing centrifugal force developed bythe rotation of the container.

2. In a centrifugal concentrator, a, container, means for subjecting thesame to rotation about a fixed exterior axis, means for projectingtoward said axis water currents (o-extensive with the area of the outerwall of the container in substantially direct opposition to thecentrifugal force developed by the rotation of the container, thecrosssection of the container tapering outwardly or away from said axisin order to proportion the force of said currents throughout thecontainer to the opposing centrifugal force developed by 'the rotationof the contamer. v

3. In a centrifugal concentrator, one or more containers, means-jforrotating the same about a commonaxis exterior to the means forintroducin thereinto throughout the area of, theoutside wall of eachcontainer individualstreams, of water and projecting the same towardandsubstantially at right angles to, such common axis, the cross-sectionof the container tapering outwardly or away from said axis in order toproportion the force of said streams throughout the container to theopposing centrifugal force developed by the rotation of the container.

4. In a centrifugal concentrator, a container rotating about a fixedvertical axis located exteri'orly thereto, said container having sidewalls away from said axis, whereby there is formed a narrow outer walland a wide rear wall, and means for forcing a current of water difi'usedover the outer wall toward} the rear wall whereby said current isproportloned at all points to the centrifugal force developed in therotation of the contamer.

5. In a centrifugal concentratona container, means for rotating the sameabout a fixed vertical axis located exteriorly thereto, said containerbeing provided with an up wardly and inwardly inclined outer wall,

, outwardly converging outwardly or converging side walls and an innervertical wall, and having a discharge opening at the base of theinclined wall.

6. In a centrifugal concentrator, a container rotating about a fixedvertical axis located exteriorly thereto, and having an upwardly andinwardly inclined outer wall, outwardly converging side. walls and aninner vertical wall terminating atsaid side walls, and means forprojecting counter cur rents in individual jets from the outer walltoward the inner vertical wall.-

7. In a centrifugal concentrator, a container rotating about a fixedvertical axis located exteriorly thereto, means rotating with thecontainer for introducing currents of water in jets disposed throughoutthe area of the outer wall of the container, and means for maintaininga'maximum velocity in said currents atpoints adjacent to theouter wallwhereby the sand accumulating at said outer wall is prevented frompacking against it.

8. In a centrifugal concentrator, a con- I tainer provided with an outerinclined wall, a partition located adjacent and substantially parallelthereto and spaced therefrom, said partition having perforationsdistributed over substantially its full area, side wallsconvergingtoward theouter wall, and a rear or inner wall for the container, andmeans for rotating the container about an axis located adjacent to'theinner wall.

9. In a centrifugal concentrator, a container having an outer upwardlyand inwardly inclined wall, a perforated'partition spaced a suitabledistance therefrom, the

perforations increasing in number toward the bottom, means fordelivering counter currents through the perforations in; oppos'ition tothe centrifugally impelled material acting against the partition, andmeans for rotating the container. 1

' 10. In combination'with a vertical hollow water circulating shaft, acontainer having an outer upwardly and inwardly' inclined wall, a rearvertical wall, and outwardly converging side walls,

rotating about the axis of the shaft, a pulp-distributer disposed aboutthe axis of the shaft, .a pulpconducting pipe conveying pulp from thedistributer to a point adjacent the rear wall of the container, a pipeleading from the Shaft and discharging water into the con-- tainer in adirection opposed tothe centrifugally impelled material actingagainstthe outer wall, means for diffusing such opposing current overthe outer wall, and means for discharging the concentrates at a point.

at the base of the outer wall of the conta ner.

11. In combination with'a vertical hollow water-circulating shaft, acontainer rotating about the axis of theshaft and prov ded inwardlyinclined with an upwardly and outer wall, a pulp distributor disposedabout the axis of the shaft, a pipe for conducting the pulp tothe-container, a pipe leading from the hollow shaft and tapping theouter Wall of the container and discharging thereinto in a directionsubstantially in opposition or counter to, the centrifugal force actingagainst said wall, means co-extensive with the area of said wall forsplitting up the counter currents into jets, the container havingopenings for the discharge respectively of the concentrates at thebottom of the outer Wall, and of the tailings at the bottom of the inneror rear wall.

12. In combination with a vertical hollow shaft, means for circulatingtherethrough a ulsating water current, a container rotatmg about theaxis of the shaft and provided with an upwardly and inwardly inclinedouter wall, a pulp distributer disposed about the axis of shaft, meansfor conducting pulp from the distributer to the container, a pipeleading from the hollow shaft and discharg ing water thereinto inpulsating currents in opposition to the centrifugal force acting againstthe walls of said containt i.

13. In combination with a vertical hollow water circulating shaft, acontainer rotating about the axis of the shaft and provided with anupwardly and inwardly inclined outer wall, a pulp distributer disposedabout the shaft axis, a pipe for conducting the pulp to the container, apipe leading from the hollow shaft and tapping the outer Wall of thecontainer and discharging thereinto in a direction opposed to t ecentrifugal force acting against said wall, means for diffusing theopposing current over the entire area of said outer Wall, the containerhaving a bottom opening adjacent to the,

outer wall for the escape of concentrates, and a pipe for conducting thetailings from the rear of the container toward a point adjacent to theshaft.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK LAIST. Witnesses:

ARCHIE N. Jam, v HENRY N. THOMSON.

